Dr. Hina Ghafoor is a Board Certified primary care doctor who cares for patients of the Reisterstown, Owings Mills, Westminster and Eldersburg communities at Mercy Personal Physicians at Reisterstown.
Mercy doctors offer a breakthrough treatment for hepatitis C that cures most patients and saves lives. Hepatitis C is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus and can lead to permanent liver damage if untreated.
The Vascular Center at Mercy provides vascular surgeons who treat conditions including aneurysm, stroke, swelling of the legs and vein blockages.
Mercy offers emergency care on the Downtown Baltimore campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (410-332-9477) with access to a trained emergency medicine team, diagnostic services and consultations with specialists.
In case of an Emergency, Dial 911 and follow the instructions of the EMS (Emergency Medical Services) team.
Mercy Medical Center's downtown campus includes our Main Hospital - The Mary Catherine Bunting Center, McAuley Plaza and The Weinberg Center.
General visiting hours at Mercy are 11:00 am to 8:30 pm. Hours vary by floor, please check with the nursing staff or call 410-332-9555.
Dr. Amit Raina, Director of The Center for Comprehensive Pancreatic Care at Mercy in Baltimore, provides expertise in diagnosing and treating pancreatic disease, including pancreatitis, pancreatic cysts, and pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatitis is a pancreatic disease in which the pancreas becomes inflamed. The pancreas produces enzymes to aid digestion and hormones to regulate the processing of sugar. Typically enzymes are not activated until they reach the small intestines; however, when enzymes are activated while in the pancreas, the pancreas becomes irritated and prematurely inflamed causing pancreatitis.
There are two types of pancreatitis: acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis.
Acute pancreatitis symptoms include:
Chronic pancreatitis symptoms include:
Pancreatitis is diagnosed using various tests including blood tests, stool tests, CT scans, abdominal ultrasound, endoscopic ultrasound, and MRIs.
Pancreatitis is treated by relieving a patient’s pain and improving nutritional and metabolic problems that result from loss of pancreatic function. Once pancreatitis is under control through fasting, pain medicine, IV fluids, and other treatments, the underlying causes of pancreatitis can be treated through endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), gallbladder surgery, pancreas surgery, pain management, or enzyme supplements.
After her pancreatitis flares up a patient gains new hope from her team of doctors at Mercy.
Dr. Lisa Pichney is a gastroenterologist with The Institute for Digestive Health and Liver Disease at Mercy. She is known for her devotion to her patients and as an advocate for health screening and treatment.
Jeanette was proactive in her regular physical exams but had put off a colonoscopy because her health was good and her family history was clear.